Summer interns available

[Gisele Giorgi]

Hello!

The second cohort of Microscopy Students from the new Merritt College  Microscopy Program is looking for internships.  They're a talented bunch of students, very motivated, hard-working and well prepared. Most of them are older, they've had previous careers and are looking for work about which they're more passionate.  They've had great training.  They took a semester long "Intro to Microscopy" course (4 units, including lab), then they joined the program.  Program courses they've taken at this point include (for a total of 9 units):

Theory and Practice of Optical Microscopy
Good Lab Practices
Survey of Biotech Business
Tissue Culture
Immunohistochemistry

They have extensive hands-on experience on Olympus, Zeiss and motorized Nikon widefield fluorescent scopes, they're well versed in slide preparation, and they've used a variety of imaging software, including Image J, Axiovision, NIS Elements, and Photoshop.   Several have also taken a 5 unit Human Histology course.  Since almost all of the students are career changers, they also have a variety of other professional experience and training including programming, financial management, construction, and nutrition.
 
The goal of the internship is to expose them to a real science working environment and to deepen their technical experience.

- There is a lot of flexibility in terms of the time requirements:  some have full-time jobs and would prefer to work nights/weekends or for an intensive few weeks, while others are entirely available from early June-mid August.

- Remuneration is greatly appreciated, but not strictly necessary.

- It is ok to have them help out a little with lab chores, as long as they are also mentored and exposed to interesting work and techniques.

-If possible, it's good to have them attend lab meetings and journal clubs.

- They are interested in everything from genetics, pathology, diagnostics, mobi, cell biology and regenerative medecine, to environmental studies, biofuels, bioremediation, agriculture, vetrinary research and forensics.

 - The placement doesn't necessarily have to include microscopy (though it's preferable of course), as long as it's interesting science work.

- Some are even available for international placements over the summer.

- Those who work in the Bay Area are likely to want to continue throughout the year, if the placement wishes them to do so.

- The feedback from last year's internship supervisors was wonderful:  they found our students to be driven, intelligent, hard-working and very enthusiastic.   The students made a real contribuition to the labs they worked in, and all were asked to continue on throughout the year.

Please let me know if you have any questions for me.  If you're definitely interested in considering an intern, I'll have my students contact you directly, if that's ok with you.  You can work it out as you wish, but typically they'll come in as a small group of interested students (it's good for them to tour a variety of labs!) to meet you and see your lab, and you can mutually decide on a placement for one or more of them.

Gisele Giorgi
Director, Merritt Microscopy Program

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